EXCERPT: “The major cause of the crisis is that the collapse of job creation outside of major cities has sent demand for housing there sky high. And since the supply of land is fixed, and doesn’t adjust to price changes like most goods or services, the price of housing just keeps soaring as well. One popular fix among mainstream thinkers is to deregulate local zoning, roll back historic preservation rules, and the like. The idea is that these ordinances hold back construction, constricting supply. Cut the red tape, and let the market work its magic! In and of itself, this certainly wouldn’t be a bad change to make. But it’s unlikely the market alone is up to fixing this problem.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2ltvOS4

EXCERPT: “Winona’s Housing Task Force has finalized a list of recommendations intended to help the city meet its current and future housing challenges. The task force has spent much of this year working on the so-called Financial Toolbox, which is being sent to the Winona City Council for ratification, and which specifically addresses the need for affordable housing for people who live and work in Winona. According to Nick Larson, the city’s community development specialist, roughly two-thirds of people who work in Winona live outside of the city — not necessarily because they wish to live elsewhere, but because they can’t find housing here. The Financial Toolbox seeks to fix that imbalance in several ways.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2gQmiXs

EXCERPT: “Look at a map of where landlords file paperwork to evict renters from their homes in Minneapolis and you might notice something striking: These legal actions happen almost like clockwork in north Minneapolis, and pretty rarely just a few miles away in southwest Minneapolis. Evictions are a problem in the Twin Cities and across the country as housing becomes less affordable for low-income families. And they exacerbate existing inequalities by hitting some of the most disadvantaged populations the hardest. But just how eviction affects families can be difficult to track, since people who are displaced from their homes often don’t think of themselves as evicted, and because court records lack the specificity to tell the whole story.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2gIPAXS

EXCERPT: “Amazon said Monday that 238 cities and regions within the U.S., as well as Canada and Mexico, have submitted proposals to become the online retailer’s second headquarters. Many experts believe Minnesota’s chances of securing the campus are slim, which may be positive news to some locals, particularly those concerned about the Twin Cities housing market . . . One early analysis, conducted by apartment listing aggregator Apartment List, suggests the price increase for Minneapolis renters could be an additional 1 percent annually, amounting to $8,700 in extra rent costs over a 10-year span. Of the 15 cities analyzed by Apartment List, Minneapolis landed in the middle.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2gFmrgs

EXCERPT: “The number of apartments deemed affordable for very low-income families across the United States fell by more than 60 percent between 2010 and 2016, according to a new report by Freddie Mac. The report by the government-backed mortgage financier is the first to compare rent increases in specific units over time. It examined loans that the corporation had financed twice between 2010 and 2016, allowing a comparison of the exact same rental units and how their affordability changed. At first financing, 11 percent of nearly 100,000 rental units nationwide were deemed affordable for very low-income households. By the second financing, when the units were refinanced or sold, rents had increased so much that just 4 percent of the same units were categorized as affordable.” FULLSTORY: http://wapo.st/2yDvNQP

EXCERPT: “Minnesota Housing Commissioner Mary Tingerthal, Congresswoman Betty McCollum and other community leaders gathered today at an emergency shelter for Native American families to announce funding to create and preserve over 1,800 affordable housing opportunities throughout the state. The investments in 60 developments support more than 3,400 jobs and will leverage additional private and local resources that will result in nearly $350 million in total development costs. DAYTON: “This funding will stimulate jobs and economic development across our state, while providing housing for Minnesotans in need,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “I thank Minnesota Housing for their work in securing these new investments, and putting these funds to good use in our communities. I look forward to working with the Legislature to make additional investments next session.”..The announcement today also signaled hope for one young person, Norma Jean, who joined housing leaders to talk about the new Ain Dah Yung Center and the promise it brings for her. Ain Dah Yung is a joint project with Project for Pride in Living designed to meet the specific cultural needs of Native youth ages 18-24 who have left the foster care system. The new development to be constructed on University Avenue will provide 42 young people like Norma Jean a safe and stable place to call home.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2yDHZi8

EXCERPT: “After median home prices hit a record high this summer in the Twin Cities, sales activity started to slow last month, according to data released Monday by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors (MAAR). Entry-level homes, which often spend little time on the market and sell at a high price, instead experienced a loss in closed sales in September. The change was a sharp departure from interest the category had received all year from prospective homebuyers.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2ySyjmR

EXCERPT: “Neighbors woke to something new at the site of the former Lowry Grove mobile home and RV park this week: A sign that reads ‘Reopening soon.’ Dave Colling, who lives nearby, took a picture and posted it to Facebook. The comments poured in: ‘Seriously?’ ‘WHAT?’ ‘I don’t know why this surprises me so much.’ It is a surprising turn for the site. The suburban Minneapolis park was purchased by a developer — The Village, LLC — and closed in June. People from nearly a hundred households had to relocate, and the closure sparked protests and a lawsuit. The new sign appeared after The Village was dealt a blow at a St. Anthony city council meeting earlier this week. At the meeting, The Village presented plans to build more than 700 new housing units on the 15-acre site. The city council, however, approved a resolution on density that would allow for only half that number.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2xJCHzy

EXCERPT: “Rent-control policies are a cause célèbre advocated by progressive politicians such as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.K. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. But evidence shows that getting rid of these rules causes a reduction in crime. The sudden end of rent control in Cambridge, Mass., in 1995 resulted in a 16% decrease in overall crime through the year 2000, according to a new working paper by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That equates to roughly 1,200 fewer crimes a year.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2g8xf2w

EXCERPT: “Columbia Heights has approved a 222-unit affordable housing complex, the first such project for the city in decades. The Star Tribune has a report on the vote, which followed some contentious debate: The City Council split 3-2 following a public meeting that grew heated, with opponents in the crowd shouting ‘You’re fired!’ at members who voted yes.” FULLSTORY: http://bit.ly/2yb7RUA